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Mass Effect 2
PlayStation 3 |genre = Action role-playing, third-person shooter |modes = Single-player |ratings = |media = Optical disc, download |requirements = See development and marketing section }} Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010, and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011. Mass Effect 2 is a sequel to the original Mass Effect and the second main game in the Mass Effect series. Set within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century, the game follows Commander Shepard, an elite human soldier who must recruit and gain the loyalty of a diverse team in order to defeat an insect-like species called the Collectors in a suicide mission. Many gameplay elements were changed and simplified compared to the original game, with further emphasis put on third-person shooter aspects, including limited ammunition and regenerable health. The game features a compatibility mode that allows several major plot decisions from its predecessor to impact the story of the game. Mass Effect 2 also supports a variety of downloadable content packs that were released from January 2010 to May 2011. The downloadable content can range from single in-game character outfits to entirely new plot-related missions. Mass Effect 2 was a critical and commercial success, selling over two million units in its first week of release. The game received universal critical acclaim from video game publications. At the review aggregate websites GameRankings and Metacritic, the Xbox 360 version holds an average review score of 95.66% and 96 out of 100 respectively. Critics widely praised its interactive storytelling, deep characters, and improved gameplay over the original game. The game received numerous year-end awards, including AIAS Game of the Year and BAFTA Game of the Year. A sequel, Mass Effect 3, was released in 2012. Gameplay Mass Effect 2 is a single-player action role-playing game where the player takes the role of Commander Shepard through a third-person perspective. Character development is a primary element of the game; when starting a new game, the player has to give Shepard a back story. The player can either choose to import a completed save file from the end of the original Mass Effect or start a new character. Importing a save file allows several decisions the player made in the original game to impact the story of Mass Effect 2. If a character is started from scratch, the player must choose between multiple default biographies. The player can customize Shepard's appearance, and choose between six different character classes. Each class has different strengths and weaknesses and sets of powers to choose from, as well as class-specific weapons. During the game, Shepard is usually accompanied by two AI characters that the player can indirectly control through orders. Experience points are gained by completing missions and assignments. Each time a sufficient amount of experience is obtained, the player "levels up" and is awarded Squad Points that can be used to upgrade powers of the entire squad. The Milky Way acts as the game's central overworld. The Normandy SR-2 starship, which serves as Shepard's main source of transportation and base of operations, allows the player to visit cities, tackle missions, and scan planets for minerals resources. These resources allow the player to research upgrades for Shepard, the squad, weapons, armors, and the Normandy itself. Upgrades can either be found around the battlefield or purchased from merchants. Combat in Mass Effect 2 takes place in real-time, but the player can pause the game at any time to calmly target enemies and select different powers for the squad members to use. The game uses an over the shoulder perspective akin to a third-person shooter, and places strong emphasis on using cover to avoid taking damage while fighting enemy forces. Unlike the original Mass Effect, where weapons overheat if fired continuously for prolonged periods, the weapons of Mass Effect 2 have a finite magazine and must be reloaded after a certain number of shots. Shepard and the squad members are protected by a health bar and a damage-absorbing shield. Both the health and shield bars automatically regenerate when not taking fire for a brief period. The player can revive fallen squad members with the use of the Unity power. However, if Shepard dies, the player has to restart the game from the last saved point. All enemies are protected by health, shields, armor, barriers, or a combination thereof. Each type of protection has its own vulnerabilities. For example, armor is usually vulnerable to powers such as Incinerate, which burns enemies over time, and to weapons with a low rate of fire such as sniper rifles and heavy pistols. In contrast, shields are vulnerable to powers such as Overload and to rapid-firing weapons like submachine guns and assault rifles. Barriers are typically used by boss-type enemies and are often vulnerable to certain biotic powers. When the shields, armor, or barriers of an enemy have all been depleted, the player can use status-effect powers such as Pull, which temporarily levitates targets into the air, incapacitating them. Powers do not require any sort of expendable resource; they only have a global refresh time period. During conversations with NPCs, Mass Effect 2 employs a radial command menu, called Dialogue Wheel, where dialogue options depend on direction. The left side of the wheel is normally reserved for options that will continue the conversation in depth, while options on the right side tend to move the conversation towards quicker completion. Responses at the top are generally more polite and selfless, while those at the bottom are more aggressive and hostile. The game also introduces a context-sensitive interrupt system, allowing players to interrupt the conversation with direct actions at certain times. Dialogue choices impact how others react to Shepard, the rewards for completing quests, possible discounts from merchants, romances and, most importantly, the Commander's morality. Morality is measured by Paragon (good) and Renegade (evil) points. These points affect the availability of new special Paragon and Renegade dialogue options with significant impact in the game. For example, the game features some missions to gain the loyalty of the squad. What the player does during one of these missions will determine whether they gain the loyalty of a squad member. Gaining the loyalty of a squad member will unlock a special power and also help in the final battle. Endings range from the entire team surviving to the entire team being killed, and everything in between. If Shepard dies at the end of the game, the save file cannot be imported into Mass Effect 3. Plot Mass Effect 2 is set within the Milky Way galaxy during the 22nd century, where interstellar travel is possible through the use of mass transit devices called Mass Relays. Central to the story is Commander Shepard, an elite human soldier who is the Executive Officer of the SSV Normandy, a starship piloted by flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau. While patrolling for a hostile race of networked artificial intelligences called geth, the Normandy is attacked by an unknown starship, and many crew members die. During the evacuation, Shepard tosses Joker into the Normandy's final escape pod before being blasted into space. After a suit breach, Shepard dies of asphyxiation and his/her body is pulled into the orbit of a nearby planet. Shepard's body is retrieved and ultimately revived by Cerberus, a pro-human organization headed by the Illusive Man. The Illusive Man informs Shepard that entire populations of human colonies are disappearing all over the galaxy, and believes the Reapers, a highly advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships encountered in the original game, are responsible. Now working for Cerberus, Shepard is sent to investigate a recently-attacked colony, where he/she finds clues about the validity that the Reapers are working by proxy through an insect-like species called the Collectors. The Illusive Man explains that Shepard must recruit a team in order to stop the Collectors, who reside beyond the Omega-4 Relay, from which no ship has ever returned. Shepard is also given command of a new starship, the Normandy SR-2, piloted again by Joker and equipped with an onboard AI named EDI. Shepard recruits four new squadmates before receiving intel from the Illusive Man that another human colony is under attack. Shepard successfully stops the attack, but a large portion of the colony's population was captured. Shepard continues to recruit squadmates, adding three more, until the Illusive Man contacts Shepard about a Collector ship supposedly disabled. As Shepard and his/her squad board the ship, they surprisingly encounter no Collector resistance and learn that the Collectors were originally an extinct alien race that were turned into slaves of the Reapers. With EDI's help, Shepard finds out how to bypass the Omega-4 Relay before being ambushed by the Collectors. Although Shepard and the Normandy manage to escape the Collector ship, relations between Shepard and the Illusive Man are strained, due to the latter's knowledge of the Collector trap. After optionally earning the loyalty of his/her squadmates, Shepard visits a derelict Reaper and acquires an IFF transponder necessary for safe travel through the Omega-4 Relay, and later acquires an unconscious geth. If activated, the geth voluntarily joins the squad. The Normandy later integrates the IFF into her systems while Shepard and the squad leave the ship in a shuttle. During their absence, the Normandy is attacked and boarded by the Collectors; only Joker avoids capture. After Shepard's squad returns to the Normandy, the team use the Omega-4 Relay to get to the Collector base. In the Collectors base, the team rescue any surviving members of the Normandy, and fight their way to the central chamber. Squadmates survive or perish along the way depending on their loyalty, upgrades to the Normandy, and selections of specific members to perform certain tasks. In the central chamber, Shepard discovers that the Collectors have been constructing a new Reaper made from the abducted humans, although EDI is unsure of its true purpose. Shepard destroys the machine powering the human Reaper and prepares to destroy the Collector base. However, before doing so, the Illusive Man contacts Shepard and gives the order to sterilize the base with a radiation pulse so that its information can be used against the Reapers. After choosing to destroy or sterilize the base, Shepard destroys the awakened human-reaper larva and, if enough squadmates survived, escapes the base before the bomb detonates. If none did, Shepard must be abandoned to death in the Collector Base. Back on the Normandy, Shepard speaks with the Illusive Man, who either praises or condemns Shepard's decision. As Shepard meets in the Normandy's cargo bay with the survivors of the mission, Joker gives the Commander schematics of a Reaper. Humanity now has the full attention of the Reapers, who awaken in dark space, and descend upon the galaxy, beginning the events of Mass Effect 3. Development and marketing | os1=Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1, or Windows 7 | cpu1= Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 or equivalent AMD CPU | cpu1rec=Intel Core 2 Duo E4700 or equivalent AMD CPU | memory1=1 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista and 7) | memory1rec=2 GB RAM | gpu1=NVIDIA GeForce 6800 256 MB or ATi Radeon X1600 Pro 256 MB | gpu1rec=NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB or ATi Radeon HD 2900 XT 512 MB | hdspace1=15 GB | network1=Internet connection not required for activation. Required for one-time Cerberus Network activation and extra content download(s). }} Mass Effect 2 was developed by BioWare and directed by Casey Hudson, who previously led the production of the first Mass Effect game. Before production for Mass Effect 2 began, BioWare created a list of goals to work towards based on feedback from fans, reviewers and internal people. Due to the fact that the original game was praised for its interactive storytelling, the development team's main goal was to "create an experience that was less about being a game and more about being an experience." Hudson explained BioWare was interested in a plot where side stories had as much intensity as the main story, and decided that the idea of recruiting people and making them loyal to the player so that they could survive a suicide mission allowed to explore these possibilities. Mass Effect 2 contains voices from 90 voice actors who play 546 characters and speak over 25,000 lines of dialogue. Voice recording for the game took twice as long as the original Mass Effect. During the first stages of development, the designers' priority was purely on streamlining and polishing the shooting aspects; RPG elements did not start until this process was complete. According to lead designer Christina Norman, "we wanted more satisfying combat and a big part of that is making weapons more accurate and powerful at level one – basically saying 'let's take the RPG out of the shooter.'" Since BioWare had no experience with shooter games, the team spent roughly three months tuning how combat would work using the original Mass Effect as a basis. The inclusion of limited ammunition was not initially part of the main game design, and was simply implemented for some playtesting. However, the developers eventually felt it improved the tension and pacing of combat. Unlike the original game, the powers were balanced with a unified recharge time since the earlier system, where powers could be used sequently, was considered "ridiculous and endgame easy." The game's HUD was revised eight times during development. Mass Effect s tedious inventory screen was criticized by video game journalists and players, and designing an inventory for Mass Effect 2 was one of the main concerns during development. The idea was for it to be able to handle a large number of characters with simplicity. Norman unsuccessfully spent time examining various RPG inventory systems, though none could be applied to support such a large number of character. The team ultimately decided to implement a unified system where a character could use a weapon without taking it away from someone else. Norman explained the inventory of Mass Effect 2 is "so simple some people say it's not an inventory system." Hudson also mentioned two significant challenges that interfered with the development: the 2008–2012 global recession limited the game's budget, and the team had to get through it without impacting their ambitious goals. Additionally, due to the spread of the 2009 H1N1, a significant part of the team went down with illness during the last months of development, resulting in a loss of a man-year of time. Despite these factors, Hudson described the development of the game as successful "on time, on budget, and exceeding quality goals." The first teaser trailer for Mass Effect 2 was released in February 2009. In the trailer, Commander Shepard is declared "killed in action." The game was originally intended to be released as an Xbox 360 exclusive, but a Microsoft Windows version was later confirmed when the game was formally unveiled in March 2009. Bioware stated that both versions were being developed simultaneously with the same level of dedication. Around the same time, a new development team of 30 people was set to work at the EA Montreal studio in order to supplement the teams already working on the game. BioWare co-founder and chief executive officer Ray Muzyka said the new team was "really excited about it." In June 2009, Mass Effect 2 was presented at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. New features were shown off and for the first time, fans were shown a guided demo. The demo also confirmed that Shepard would be alive and playable in Mass Effect 2, but the character could die at the end of the game. In the months leading to the game's release, BioWare launched six class walkthroughs narrated by Norman and released a final cinematic trailer. In August 2010, seven months after the release of the game, BioWare announced that a PlayStation 3 version of the game was being in development. BioWare stated the game used a modified version of the Unreal engine 3 called Mass Effect 3 engine; the same engine they were using for the then-future Mass Effect 3. In this new version, character models were slightly improved and controls were updated with the PlayStation 3 controller in mind, although an option which allowed to switch back to the Xbox 360 layout was also added. Unlike the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows versions of the game, which span two discs, the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 is able to fit on one Blu-ray Disc. Technical issues When the game was released, there have been complaints that the game's font-size has been formatted in such a way as to make in game text indecipherable on standard definition televisions. Representatives from BioWare stated that the issue was "a design choice, not a bug." Mark Barlet, president of the website AbleGamers, which advocates for making games more accessible to the disabled, said that "It's not just the size of the text of Mass Effect 2 that is the problem, it's the coloring of the text" that is the problem. After investigating the complaints further, BioWare released a statement acknowledging that "on some standard definition TVs the smallest text in Mass Effect 2 can be difficult to read", and concluded that they were unable to resolve it through a title update. However, they stated they would take it into consideration for future games. There were also issues with regards to crashes, video hitching and long load times on single core computers but these were later addressed in a patch. A second patch, which reduced the amount mining time required to acquire upgrades and fixed some saved game loading issues, among others, was also released. On PlayStaion 3, a concerning number of players reported that their save files can become corrupted if the game crashes unexpectedly. Community chief Chris Priestly of BioWare responded with: "Just to make it clear, we are aware of this issue and are working to understand what is occurring and how we can fix it. If you are encountering this issue, please provide details about your PS3 and your playthrough." On January 27, 2011, BioWare released the first details of the patch designed to combat save bugs, game freezes and crashes experienced. Music The music of ''Mass Effect 2 was primarily composed by Jack Wall. His previous work with BioWare was as the main composer for Jade Empire and the original Mass Effect. The score also features some pieces by Sam Hulick, David Kates, and Jimmy Hinson, with additional editing and in-game implementation by Brian DiDomenico. Music from the game has been released in several albums. BioWare released the main soundtrack album, Mass Effect 2: Original Videogame Score, on January 19, 2010. The soundtrack spans two discs and 27 tracks, covering a duration of 1:55:43. It incorporates both orchestral and classic sci-fi arrangements which were inspired by the soundtrack of the cult classic film Blade Runner and music by German electronic group Tangerine Dream. Major downloadable content packs for the game, which include Kasumi - Stolen Memory, Overlord, Lair Of The Shadow Broker and Arrival, feature new music. The soundtrack from Kasumi - Stolen Memory and Arrival was composed by Sonic Mayhem duo Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco, while the music from Overlord and Lair Of The Shadow Broker was composed by Christopher Lennertz. All but the soundtrack from Arrival were commercially released. Additionally, several tracks featured in the game that are not included on any official soundtrack album are the tracks that play in the various clubs and bars found in the game. These include "Happiness" by John Morgan, "To Hide﻿ To Seek" by Comaduster, "Techno Madness" by Jesse Allen, and "Callista" by Saki Kaskas. Release and downloadable content Mass Effect 2 was initially released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 in North America and January 29, 2010 in Europe. The game was released in multiple editions. Alongside the standard edition, a digital deluxe edition and a collector's edition were also made available for purchase. The collector's edition featured a different packaging, an artbook, bonus in-game content, behind-the-scenes DVD, and one issue from the Mass Effect: Redemption comic series. Additionally, if the game was pre-ordered at GameStop, players received two special items: the Terminus Armor and the M-490 Blackstorm Heavy Weapon. If the game was pre-ordered at other retailers, players received the Inferno Armor and the Collector Assault Rifle. Players could also redeem codes on specially marked Dr Pepper products for one of three pieces of headgear and on registered copies of Dragon Age: Origins for a Blood Dragon Armor. Mass Effect 2 also supports additional downloadable content packs that were released from January 2010 to May 2011. The downloadable content ranges from single in-game character outfits to entirely new plot-related missions. Major packs include Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival, which are vital to the series' plot. In Lair of the Shadow Broker, the Shadow Broker side quest from the game is resolved. In Arrival, Commander Shepard investigates evidence of a Reaper invasion, leading to events that bridge to Mass Effect 3. Other plot-related downloadable content include the loyalty missions Zaeed - The Price of Revenge and Kasumi - Stolen Memory, and Overlord, which adds four new missions to the game. The PlayStation 3 version was later released on January 18, 2011 in North America and January 21, 2011 in Europe. Unlike the Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 versions, the PlayStaion 3 version includes the Kasumi - Stolen Memory, Overlord, and Lair of the Shadow Broker packs. Since the first Mass Effect game was not released on PlayStation 3, BioWare also released a new downloadable content, titled Mass Effect: Genesis, which allows players to make several major plot decisions of the first game that impact the story of Mass Effect 2. This pack was eventually released on May 17, 2011 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 users. Reception | GR_PS3 = 93.17% | GR_X360 = 95.66% | MC_PC = 94/100 | MC_PS3 = 94/100 | MC_X360 = 96/100 | Edge_X360 = 9/10 | GameRev_PC = A- | GameRev_PS3 = A- | GameRev_X360 = A- | IGN_PC = 9.6/10 | IGN_PS3 = 9.5/10 | IGN_X360 = 9.6/10 | 1UP_PS3 = A- | 1UP_X360 = A- | GI_PC = 9.75/10 | GI_PS3 = 9.5/10 | GI_X360 = 9.75/10 | GSpot_PC = 9/10 | GSpot_PS3 = 8.5/10 | GSpot_X360 = 9/10 | GSpy_PS3 = | GSpy_X360 = | GT_X360 = 9.7/10 | EuroG_X360 = 10/10 }} Mass Effect 2 was a critical and commercial success. It received extremely positive reviews from video game publications and sold more than two million units in its first week of release. The game has collected numerous year-end awards, including AIAS Game of the Year, BAFTA Game of the Year, GameTrailers's Best RPG of the Year, IGN's Game of the Year, Best Xbox 360 Game at the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, and two Golden Joystick Awards: Best RPG of the Year and Ultimate Game of the Year. BioWare was also recognized for its work on the game and was awarded Studio of the Year at the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards. In 2011, Mass Effect 2 was selected as one of 80 titles from the past 40 years to be placed in the Art of Video Games exhibit in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and IGN ranked it #1 on its "Top 100 Modern Video Games" list. The game was also included as one of the titles in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. At the review aggregate website GameRankings, the Xbox 360 version holds an average review score of 95.66%, making it the third highest rated Xbox 360 game released to date, behind The Orange Box and Grand Theft Auto IV. Universal praise was given to the game's diverse characters, interactive storytelling, voice acting and art design. IGN reviewer Erik Brudvig called Mass Effect 2 a very personal game, with a lot of emotion involved. He praised the option of importing a character, stating that the overall experience changes as different saved games from the previous game are used. Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer highlighted positively the weight of social interaction on the outcome of events and the fact that players feel actual pressure for their decisions. Further praise was given to the game's characters. Edge credited them for their complex personalities and great characterization, while Game Revolution pointed out that the loyalty missions "reach deep enough into their characters to make you empathize with all of them." The game's visuals and atmosphere received similar praise. GameSpot reviewer Kevin VanOrd remarked that Mass Effect 2 is more detailed and darker than its predecessor. He wrote that "deep reds and glowing indigos saturate certain scenes, making them richer and more sinister; eerie fog limits your vision in one side mission, while rain pours down upon you in another. Subtle, moody lighting gives certain interactions great impact." Reviewer Chris DeAngelus of Worthplaying credited the conversations and cutscenes for being better shot than the first game, as they "give the entire experience a much more cinematic feel." Critics also gave high marks to the game's extensive cast of voices, in particular Martin Sheen's performance of the Illusive Man, which was singled out for "stealing the show." Andrew Reiner, reviewer of Game Informer, said that the music "flows beautifully" in both the story and action sequences. Brudvig concluded that the game's presentation and direction are "miles ahead of the competition." Many publications declared the gameplay was an improvement over the original. John Davison of GamePro wrote "BioWare has done a spectacular job moving the role playing genre forward, and blending disparate gameplay styles into genuinely exciting sci-fi epic." VanOrd praised Mass Effect 2 for possessing an identity, which was something that its predecessor lacked. He noted that the shooting is "more immediate and satisfying, which keeps the pace moving and intensifies the violence of each encounter." Similarly, GameSpy s Gerald Villoria observed that, while the original Mass Effect "walked the line between RPG and shooter ... Mass Effect 2 has become a much more focused shooter experience." Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com credited the combat for being more balanced, stating that the game encourages players to use different weapon classes and squad abilities when the situation requires it. Despite the praise, some publications such as GameCritics expressed disappointment with the gameplay, calling it "stripped-down" with a "dumbed-down feeling." Some reviewers also criticized the slow planet scanning. Game Revolution felt it was a "chore, mandatory if you want upgrades and boring because there is no tension or challenge", but ultimately concluded that the game as a whole "does more than enough to live up to its predecessor." References External links * Official website Category:2010 video games Category:Action role-playing video games Category:AIAS Game of the Year winners Category:Mass Effect Category:New game plus video games Category:PlayStation 3 games Category:Role-playing video games Category:Science fiction video games Category:Space opera Category:Unreal Engine games Category:Video game sequels Category:Video games developed in Canada Category:Video games with expansion packs Category:Video games based on Dark Horse Comics Category:Windows games Category:Xbox 360 games